Senior picnic scores big success
CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 5 years, 9 months AGO
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald Volunteers served box lunches to seniors, whether they drove or walked through, at the 2020 Senior Picnic.
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald Volunteers from a number of different organizations delivered meals right to the car window at the 2020 Senior Picnic.
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald Lunch was served right to the car window at the drive-thru 2020 Senior Picnic.
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald Seniors got lunch delivered right to the car window at the 2020 Senior Picnic.
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald A volunteer gives direction to attendees at the 2020 Senior Picnic.
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald Lunch was delivered right to the car during the 2020 Senior Picnic.
Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience serving small communities in the Pacific Northwest. She began her post-high-school education at Treasure Valley Community College and enerned her journalism degree at Oregon State University. After working for multiple publications, she has settled down at the Columbia Basin Herald and has been a staple of the newsroom for more than a decade. Schweizer’s dedication to her communities and profession has earned her the nickname “The Baroness of Bylines.” She covers a variety of beats including health, business and various municipalities. | June 17, 2020 11:02 PM
MOSES LAKE — The drive-thru 2020 Senior Picnic was such a success the organizers had to order more lunches.
The drive-thru was set up in the parking lot of the Moses Lake Senior Center, and the line of cars stretched through the Grace Harvest Church parking lot and around the corner on Block Street.
Normally the Senior Picnic is a sit-down affair, but of course it had to be revised for 2020. Most gatherings have been banned as part of the response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Picnickers drove by classic cars, parked in a line for car enthusiasts’ enjoyment, and picked up their lunch and bag of goodies. Seniors didn’t even have to get out of their cars, although some did and walked through the line.
“We really didn’t know what to expect this year,” said committee chair Terri Riley-Brown.
The event is organized by the Columbia Basin Senior Networking Forum, a group that meets monthly to share information about resources for seniors. Riley-Brown heads up the picnic organizing committee.
While organizers weren’t sure how many people would show up, there was a line even before the picnic officially started at 11 a.m.
“I’d say we’re having a turnout as we anticipated,” Riley-Brown said. “We planned for quite a crowd.” And in the end, attendance was even bigger than expected.
“It’s good to be out,” said Darlene Ulbricht, while she waited in line. Ulbricht said she expected a big crowd, since the picnic always draws a lot of people.
Keith and Ashley Pratt said they had no idea what to expect, since this was the first Senior Picnic they had attended. “We had no clue,” Ashley Pratt said.
Dawn Viebrock said she too expected a big crowd, based on previous Senior Picnics she had attended. “But not this big,” she said.
Riley-Brown said it was exciting to be able to put on a picnic despite the challenges.
The goodie bags had information from local agencies and organizations about resources for seniors, Riley-Brown said. “Then in random bags there (was) a door prize.”
Agencies and organizations also set up booths along the parade route, waving to seniors as they drove by. Michael’s on the Lake, Red Door Cafe, Porterhouse Steakhouse and Papa’s Casino provided the lunches.
Premier sponsors of the event included the Columbia Basin Herald, Samaritan Healthcare, Confluence Health and Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce.
Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at [email protected].
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